The effects of constructive television news reporting on prosocial intentions and behavior in children: The role of negative emotions and self-efficacy

Abstract To reduce negative emotional responses and to stimulate prosociality, constructive journalism promotes the inclusion of positive emotions solutions in news. This study experimentally tested whether including those elements indeed increased prosocial intentions behavior among children, self-efficacy are mediators this regard. end, children (N = 468; 9 13 years old) were exposed an emotion-based, solution-based, or non-constructive news video. Results showed that emotion-based solution-based reduced children’s compared No direct effects for found, but led less (i. e., money donated) than Moreover, served as a mediator, did not. The more elicited by story, higher behavior. In conclusion, style reporting helps subsequently hinders prosociality.